When working hard feels hard
Betrayal. Deception. Resentment.
You know these emotions, don't you?
You may feel them when you realize the rewards you expected haven't materialized; when the short-term sacrifices in the name of success become a long-term lifestyle; or when you’re working or thinking about work all the time.
“What you don’t yet BELIEVE about yourself is an important indicator of the gap between where you are and where you want to be.”
I am often asked: In the end, will it all be worth it?
Certainly not. Not if you see yourself the way culture sees women.
I want to caution you about headlines that seem validating, perseverating on proof points to explain why it’s problematic to be a woman in the workplace.
They seem supportive, but do us, women, a disservice because these narratives influence a painful and pernicious subconscious conclusion: Women have to work harder.
As girls we were taught: Do your very best, but . . . beware of believing you are the best.
So we obligate ourselves to overworking, pouring out our precious energy, emotion, and mindshare, hoping companies get a conscience about equity and equality while denying ourselves of margin and grace.
We're desperate to be valued while perpetuating professional malpractice that devalues all women.
Women are primed for Hard.
Self-conscious thinking will keep you trapped in this self-harming belief system until you learn to redirect your mind.
It’s not your fault. But it is your responsibility to lead yourself by thinking on purpose and deciding for yourself what you want to believe based on how those beliefs make you feel.
The best feelings propel you forward to fulfill your potential in alignment with your values because sustainable success is the most self-honoring way.
